Dos and Don’ts of Dental Handpiece Ownership

Dental handpieces have drastically changed the practice of dentistry for the better. They are convenient, easy to work with, and much better for patients as well. They can be expensive pieces of equipment but they have become necessities of the dental practice as we know it today. Because they are so essential and costly, it is important for dentists to protect their investments and look after their handpieces properly. This includes dental drill repair, handpiece maintenance and cleaning, and any other repairs a dental handpiece may require. Here is a list of dos and don’ts of dental handpiece ownership:

DO Clean Before Lubing and Sterilizing

When you are in a hurry it can be tempting to forget to purge a handpiece and just sterilize it before moving onto the next patient, but not properly cleaning a handpiece will result in having to repair the dental handpiece sooner rather than later. It is easy for dirt to pile up inside the crevices of a handpiece and this will cause it to operate poorly. Dental drill repair is not something any dentist looks forward to, as it can be costly. This is why it’s important to follow the guidelines for the proper cleaning of each handpiece.

DON’T Over-Lube a Low-Speed Motor

It’s difficult to over-lubricate a high speed motor, but you can over-lube a low speed one fairly easily. Be careful not to apply too much lubricant to its motors. They can easily become flooded, causing them to operate more slowly and resulting in high-pressure start-ups. If you are lubing a high-speed motor, the more you apply, the cleaner it will be—it will just take a little longer to purge.

DO Run Handpiece after Lubing

This is an important step in the cleaning and maintenance of a dental handpiece. If you neglect to do this, oil will build up inside the turbine. This can result in your handpiece not operating at its full capacity.

DON’T Lube Immediately after Using

It’s not good to lube a hot handpiece. Make sure you wait a few minutes and let it cool down before you proceed. Also, remember to purge it first, and then lube. This topic brings up a debate that has existed in the dental industry for some time now: should you lube before sterilizing? The answer is using a lubricant that also acts as a cleaner. Then you can purge, lube and sterilize safely before moving onto the next patient.

DO Remember These Tips

Avoid having to frequently repair dental handpieces by following the proper maintenance protocols for each handpiece you own. Follow the dos and don’ts of handpiece care to avoid the cost of sending your dental drills for repair. Eventually every handpiece needs a repair, but the less often it’s necessary, the better for you.